1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a guest monitoring and identification system and more particularly to a computer based guest monitoring and identification system comprising an identification device such as a radio frequency identification device adapted to be carried by a guest having programmed predetermined data identifying a guest. At least one activating signal transmitter is used to transmit an activating signal in a predetermined pattern over a designated area to be traversed by a guest having an identification device. A receiver receives transmitted data signal containing the programmed predetermined data identifying the guest. A guest identification and service information processor receives the transmitted data signal containing programmed predetermined data identifying a guest and communicates to a service staff display device the name and service profile for an identified guest.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Use of radio frequency identification devices (RFID), sometimes known as RFID tags, to identify a person or an object are well known in the prior art.
One example of a RFID system for identifying a person is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,937,154. U.S. Pat. No. 6,937,154 discloses a method and system for identifying an individual, accessing background information for an individual and updating such background information in various environments including retail environments and hospitality environments. The information is conveyed to a portable device. The disclosure in U.S. Pat. No. 6,937,154 is based on using an encoded RFID tag to identify the individual and to use the scanned data from the encoded RFID tag to access a database for information pertaining to that individual.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,873,260; 6,554,705 and 6,513,015 disclose systems for using RFID tag for allowing passage of individuals through a controlled area using a variety of identification techniques.
Published Patent Application US2002/016740 discloses an electronic shopping system and functions to present to a clerk a profile of the retail shopper along with identifying data.
In the prior art systems, the RFID or RFID tag are used to identify a user for retail shopping purposes or to identify a person for controlling access to a controlled area. None of the systems are related to the hospitality field where customers or guests referred to as very important persons (“VIP”) are targeted, identified and given a preference over other customers and guests who are not targeted as a VIP.
Published Patent Application US2006/0109083 discloses a apparatus and method using RFID tags in the hospitality field and the apparatus and method use an RFID tag for identifying a person of interest inside a facility as opposed to identifying and providing a VIP access to a facility. In Published Patent Application US2006/0109083, the concept is based on issuing RFID tags to a guest wherein the RFID tag has encoded information relating to a guest that is common to one or more guests. The RFID tags in a designated area are scanned looking for specific encoded data and quests having the data are identified during the scan.
None of the known prior art anticipates, discloses, teaches or suggests a computer based guest monitoring and identification system having a guest identification and service information processor for receiving transmitted data signal containing programmed predetermined data for identifying a guest, for interpreting the programmed predetermined data identifying a guest and generating data/information signals providing the name and service profile for an identified guest and for communicating to service staff serving a guest the name and service profile for an identified guest including an assigned priority rating to insure that the service staff provides the appropriate service to a identified guest.